Inarizushi
by TheDeadGirlRisen
Summary: A young boy comes across a food stall that would change the rest of his life.


**Inarizushi**

By: _TheDeadGirlRisen_

Beta'ed by: _N/A_

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**Author Notes: **My friend Esellyn had an idea of Naruto finding an Inarizushi shop instead of a Ramen shop. This is where that idea led us. I hope you enjoy this little one-shot.

**Word Count: **1160

**Date Written: **9/28

**Date Posted: **9/28

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"_The food makes the man."_

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"Come here," a voice called out gently. He looked up to see a man standing from behind a food stall. The man had peppered hair, and brown eyes that seemed full of life. Naruto cautiously made his way to the man who beckoned him.

"I could hear your stomach growling from way over here," The man said giving a chuckle as he gently picked Naruto up and sat him on one of the tall stools.

"Here enjoy some Inarizushi on the house," The man continued on as he placed a plate in front of him.

"Th-thank you," Naruto said as he dug into the food.

"It's no problem."

After that night Naruto kept coming back to the Inarizushi stand and enjoying the food and the friendliness of the owner, a man named Kichiko Yuwaku. Over the next year he met the owner's father Goribu Yuwaku, who loved telling stories to those interested. The man told stories of the founders era, especially of Madara Uchiha. Who Goribu said visited the stall, which was named Ushinawareta-ka, every few days to eat their Inarizushi.

A couple years passed and Naruto would come to the shop as often as he could, both for the food and the stories. Goribu had so many tales, even some that Madara had told him. When Naruto turned six, Kichiko and Goribu gave him a present, a book on falconry that Madara had once owned.

The day passed with Goribu telling him stories of Madara with his falcons, even a couple where the man had brought them to the stall and frightened Goribu with a mischievous smirk. "Madara always did have an odd sense of humor," Goribu told Naruto with a fond chuckle.

Naruto started to study the book of falconry with at first just a faint interest in learning more about Madara, but soon found that it was very interesting. He managed to convince the ninjas in the Aviary to let him help take care of the messenger hawks and soon became a regular sight for the ninjas who worked in the Aviary.

When he wasn't spending time with the hawks, attending the academy, or eating at the Inarizushi stall, he was training with blunted kunai and shuriken to improve his skills. His goal was to become just as strong as Madara.

When he turned eight his Jiji visited him and treated him to Inarizushi, Naruto decided to ask if the Hokage knew anything about Madara. "Madara, well I didn't interact with him when I was a child, in fact he left just after Tobirama took on me and my teammates as students. I do have one story though, he taught at the academy once as a guest lecture. He told about chakra affinity and demonstrated a jutsu of each element. I remember it being one of the most exciting lectures we ever had, especially since Madara let all of us test our affinities and told us how to start training them," Jiji told him with a smile.

"Wow…" Naruto said listening with rapt attention.

A few more hours passed and Naruto found that they were walking towards the Aviary. "Now, I've been hearing that you have an interest in falconry, so I thought a good present would be getting you a hawk of your own."

"Really?" Naruto asked an excited note in his voice.

"Yes," His Jiji said as they entered and he led him over to the breeding area, which Naruto had never been allowed in before. "I have talked with some of the ninjas here, and they agree that you would be able to take care of a bird without causing harm to yourself or the hawk."

With that he was given an egg that was a couple inches tall, and an inch and a half wide. "The egg is close to hatching, Hokage-sama has outfitted your apartment with necessary gear," The falconry ninja told him.

"What sort of falcon will it be?"

"A Harris Hawk."

With that Naruto returned home and a few days later the little baby chick hatched. So Naruto took care of her, feeding her and making sure she received all the care she needed. Another year passed and his hawk, Maka was growing up fast, she now had beautiful redish-brown feathers that were striped with white.

Maka became his best friend, the one he told everything to. She took to her training well and became a fast messenger hawk and fierce hunter. Her favorite prey rabbits. He introduced her to Goribu and Kichiko and they smiled at him fondly and Goribu told him that the Aviary was originally created by Madara. That it was his love of falconry that gave them their use of messenger hawks.

Another couple years passed with him training both himself and Maka before he received another awesome gift for his tenth birthday. That being a sword owned by Madara's brother Izuna.

"Madara gave me and my father a box of objects the day before he left, told us not to open it for a few days, and when we did we found a goodbye letter, thanking us for our friendship," Goribu told him a sad look in his eyes even as he smiled.

So Naruto took up training in kenjutsu, quickly finding himself proficient in it and that he was a natural. Days passed in a blur of training and taking care of Maka and studying. When he turned eleven he learned that Kichiko had just had his own son, a boy he and his wife named Seiunmaru. They allowed him to come to their home and play with the boy and Naruto found that he felt as if he was part of the family.

Happy he continued to train, but he also made time to spend with little Seiunmaru. Soon Naruto was twelve and about to take the graduation test. He entered and did what he could and soon passed with what he thought had to be the highest score.

They gave him a headband and Naruto went to Ushinawareta-ka to get some Inarizushi. Goribu and Kichiko congratulated him and as a special present they told him to close his eyes.

Naruto did and felt them removing his headband before putting something else of similar weight onto his head. "Open your eyes," Naruto did and saw a mirror being held where he saw a headband of a black cloth with a dentented Hiate. "This was once Madara's headband, now it's yours Naruto."

The young blonde haired boy beamed and hugged both Goribu and Kichiko as he thanked them for everything they had done for them. Finding this Inarizushi stall was the best thing that had ever happened to him.


End file.
